Saw VI (2009) User Reviews

Much better than the previous few.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 8 October 2023]

Another game begins, the wheels of motion are set as Jigsaw's next game begins. Detective Hoffman continues the work, and an unscrupulous insurance executive is challenged to a deadly game of life or death.

Saw 6 reignited my interest in the franchise, I thought 4 and 5 were no more than average, they both felt as though they'd been churned out simply to fill a gap and pick up a few easy bucks, Saw 6 however had a real streak of cleverness.

Looking back now this seemed to lay the ground work for the likes of Saw X and Jigsaw, with better storytelling, more twists and turns, and the usual gore, but it didn't simply rely on the latter, there really was a good bit of storytelling here.

I can't say I truly followed the Hoffman sequences, and to he honest I didn't find them totally interesting, the story of the dodgy executive however, was great, and some of those games were highly imaginative and brutal, not sure I'll ever forget the roundabout of death.

This was much improved over 4 and 5.

7/10.

This game doesn't quite come full circle, but it's over halfway there

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 29 November 2017]

Finally saw all the 'Saw' films prior to seeing 'Jigsaw' (as part of my wanting to see as many 2017 films as possible this year, during a quieter and less intensive period). Heard a lot about the films, good and bad, but wanted to see them for myself to know what to expect.

The films as an overall series are a very mixed bag. The original 'Saw' had a great premise and while it was problematic it was still pretty good and one of the best in the series. 'Saw II' was one of the few sequels to be just as good and while flawed in its own way it had most of what made the first work. Sadly the novelty wore off in the next three sequels (though the fourth did have elements of what made the first two films work), the fifth especially being a let down. 'Saw VI' is one of the best of the series and the best sequel since the second.

'Saw VI' is not a great film by all means. The dialogue continues to be weak, was never a strength in the previous films and still isn't, being cheesy, half-baked, rambling and contrived. Of the performances, only a chilling Tobin Bell, with (a much better used this time round) Jigsaw continuing to fascinate in how the series does so well in setting him apart from most characters of his type, fares well. The others are saddled with characters that are either bland filler or resort to illogical decisions and are fairly perfunctory.

Ridiculousness was all over the previous films too, even in the first. 'Saw VI' doesn't escape that sadly either, the credibility and logic lapses are numerous and big.

However, although the editing is not exactly refined (some of it should come as a health warning for epileptics), 'Saw VI' is visually one of the most atmospheric, most elaborate and effectively claustrophobic films in the series. The music is suitably eerie and 'Saw VI' for me is the best directed since the second film, with things being tightened and steadied and things that were excessively done in instalments III-V toned down while still making impact.

For what it may lack in logic, 'Saw VI' makes up for it vastly in satiric bite, suspense and atmosphere, it is more taut in pace and is far easier to follow than the third and especially fifth films. Even with the gore, though it is not as excessive, there is a pleasing return to the most inventive traps, tortures and demises since the second film. The Russian Roulette carousel sequence is wonderfully executed and for me the best individual scene since that unforgettable twist ending of the first 'Saw'. There haven't been twists this devilishly clever or bold since the first either.

Unlike 'Saw V', which seemed only to exist to set this one up, 'Saw VI' actually did feel necessary despite fears. As seen with the contents of the letter from 'Saw III' being revealed much needed questions are answered, mysteries left unresolved are solved like with the box and Jigsaw's motives are clearer. The ending is easily the most satisfying one since the first 'Saw', the only sequel ending to not be obvious, incoherent or contrived, actually it's pretty disturbing and by the series' standards it makes sense. Bell continues to send chills down the spine.

Overall, one of the better 'Saw' sequels and one of the best of the series. 6/10 Bethany Cox

A fresh injection

[Ali_John_Catterall · 7/10 · 25 October 2009]

It was an uncommonly warm autumn day in London on the afternoon of Friday 23rd of October 2009: the sun was out, the birds were tweeting, and in screen 3 of the Cineworld Fulham Road, a young woman was graphically hacking off her own arm to save her head from being mashed in by a skull-cracking harness.

The gulf between director James Wan's first Saw film, and where we've ended up, is immense. Over the past five years, a tricksy, critically acclaimed crime thriller has morphed into a sprawling daytime soap with added gloop; a guaranteed annual cash cow for bargain-basement distributors Lionsgate, who cattily insist that film critics shell out for their own screenings. Oddly, these films don't tend to pick up very good reviews.

The biggest surprise, then, is that Saw VI isn't totally terrible. I mean, it's still a load of number 2's, obviously. Just not enough to block the toilet. This has been achieved in one very simple stroke. Understanding that some of the best horror films utilise contemporary events to add a powerful frisson of credibility, director and former series editor Kevin Greutert has decided to lend the hermitically-sealed franchise some immediate, and wonderfully mischievous relevancy.

Saw's gamers have never exactly been sympathetic (that's why they've been forced to crawl though those fiendish, flesh-flaying traps in the first place). But for Saw IV, the filmmakers have made them universal objects of scorn and loathing from the outset; nobody's going to mourn these guys. For this time round, the hapless game players-cum-victims are insurance executives and lenders. Hooray! Thus, by ensuring its executions are almost cheerfully retributive, and by jettisoning the tedious police procedurals that have recently capsized the series, this one gives the audience more of what it really wants: lowlifes being dispatched in ingeniously sick and over-the-top ways, such as being forced to hack out their own body fat, or being injected with hydrofluoric acid; melted from the inside out.

Even better, it sets them on each other: after health insurance man William (Peter Outerbridge) turns the cancer-ridden John Kramer / Jigsaw's coverage down, he's abducted and forced to kill off his fellow Noughties whipping-boys and girls in a mockery of the mathematical system he uses to determine who's paid out and who isn't. "In a sense, you get to choose who lives and who dies..." muses an appalled John / Jiggy (Tobin Bell) in flashback, making the lender = 'monster' analogy explicit.

The best and funniest scene sees a bunch of William's fellow insurers strapped around a revolving playground carousel. William must shoot them in turn to save his own skin - though two are allowed to live. What follows is essentially satire, as the horrid little mercenaries alternately plead with him to spare their lives, while verbally ripping each other to shreds, accusing one another of being worthless liars.

Satire suits Saw. It's not like we're asking for yet another sequel exactly (and Saw VII – in 3D! - is already in the works, in any case), but this definitely hints at some interesting new directions.

Really good movie

[opraider14 · 7/10 · 22 October 2009]

I thought this movie was just as good as the first one if not maybe better. I'm giving it a 7 just because Im a really tough grader but be assured this is a really great movie. Im a pretty big fan of the Saw series and have liked every one but this one may take the cake along with the original. This Saw was actually a movie and had a plot behind it and also revealed a lot of unanswered questions from the other Saw's. It wasn't just a filler type movie like I thought the other ones were. There are a lot of good twists and turns but without giving anything away just play close attention and you will be able to figure the stuff out on your own before it happens. But still a great movie. Well worth the 8 dollars

One of the Best Installments in the Series

[theaxekeeper · 7/10 · 11 February 2010]

What can I say? Yes it may be another sequel to the now infamous franchise, but it is a great sequel. I saw this film back on opening weekend in October of last year, and I watched it again recently. I really did enjoy this film a lot more than its predecessor. The plot is better than the last film, it carries well, and it doesn't stray away from the formulas that the past few films have upheld. The plot is a little difficult to follow at first, but once you get into it, you will understand it pretty easily. The traps in this one are refreshing a in genius compared Saw V traps. To be honest, I feel that V was lacking in a lot of areas and it doesn't really seem to make a lot of sense. The ending of this one really does come together well and you understand further the master plan of Jigsaw. I know people are saying that there is a political undertone to this film, but I don't believe it's true. I must heed a warning, this film from start to finish is a lot more brutal than the last movie, but if you can stomach some gore, then you will be able to enjoy this film.

Very interesting story

[popyoshi-36312 · 7/10 · 23 October 2023]

Definitely the most political of the saw franchise, but not in a bad way, this film goes through the politics of health insurance and how corrupt it can be, it fits perfectly for the saw franchise and the the added flashbacks add a lot to the already amazing messaging. The traps in this movie are some of the most interesting and the detective cat and chase is a lot more interesting and tense. The saw traps in this movie also feel much more important to the main plot unlike saw IV and V. There is a lot of convoluted and retconning to the story and while it all makes sense it can feel a bit much when every movie seemingly adds more details to previous movies, that being said I think it makes rewatches more interesting and makes the franchise itself more interesting. It's a very good saw movie but still not quite as good as the original trilogy.

Merely an exercise in torture porn

[Hapydaze · 2/10 · 25 October 2009]

I'm quite dubious of some of the very enthusiastic 10/10 reviews this title has received? Something is not quite right there. I've seen the rest of the franchise - Saw I was excellent, goes without saying, a very clever and enjoyable scary movie with something to say about society. The rest in the sequence paled with varying degrees, but this - Saw VI - is quite horrendous for all the wrong reasons. It plays out like a soap opera - multiple ridiculous and convenient story threads, wooden acting, lingering reaction close ups, lazy art direction, poor lighting, never ending catch-up montage. But the biggest horror movie sin committed was that it started at the gore and worked backwards. As we all know, the idea of 'Saw' is that the torture the victims endured was inspired by the wrongs they had done to themselves and others, and the consequences were somehow just rewards, with the audience left to ponder a moral dilemma. That's now gone. We are left with - How can we kill off as many characters as possible, make it as gross as possible, then make the story fit around it? I suppose for some that wouldn't be too bad of a movie, but even the gore is a bit below par, and the setups are a bit ridiculous. In my opinion, this franchise has (unsurprisingly) become a lazy, silly, money-spinner with very little to offer. I would only recommend seeing this if you have seen the rest and want to see what happens, but perhaps wait until it's out to rent before wasting too much of your cash on it.

Jigsaw says "Vote Yes on Healthcare Reform"

[tawdry_hepburn · 8/10 · 24 October 2009]

"Saw" was never a franchise that was designed to last. The first film made a point of killing off every main character save one who was already dying of an inoperable brain tumor. But, when a movie grosses 100 times its budget filmmakers tend to find untapped wells of ingenuity.

"Saw VI" tells a story that is almost certainly incomprehensible to those who have not seen the previous five films. The entire plot hinges on the reveal of an element first introduced in "Saw III" and details the rise of a character who made his debut as a glorified extra. The entire twist ending is predicated upon one's memory of a secondary character who is never even on screen during this feature except during a brief flashback. It's some straight up "Star Trek" level minutia.

Because of this, a plot summary is useless. You either know what to expect, in which case it is best to see the movie completely cold, or you've already determined that you don't care. Suffice it to say, John "Jigsaw" Kramer and Amanda Young are still dead, (as they have been since part three) and Agent Hoffman is still on the loose, trying to teach more people to appreciate life. Then things get complicated.

"Saw" has always worked under a strange moral code, espousing a bizarre brand of carpe diem philosophy spoken by serial killer who seems to think that he is saving people by throwing them in pits of used needles or forcing them to cut off their feet. This philosophy has long been an albatross for the series because Jigsaw's ideas are, to put it bluntly, completely idiotic. The result of these tests would likely be a crippling case of post-traumatic stress disorder, not a moment of truth.

"Saw VI" works hard to solve this problem. For the first time in series history Jigsaw is shown to be maybe the slightest bit mentally unsound. This is a small but important step as the series makes infinitely more sense and is far more chilling if Jigsaw is taken as a David Berkowitz type instead of some sort of blood and guts Buddha. Simultaneous to this, the filmmakers have finally created a cast of victims who might well deserve their fate. Thinking back, it's actually quite surprising that it took five sequels to get to a trap where loan sharks are forced to contend with Shylock's infamous demand of "A pound of Flesh".

While many have anticipated a jump to the supernatural for several entries, few if any guessed that Saw would ever become a political story. You see, "Saw VI" is just as much about the current healthcare reform debate as it is about soap opera plot twists. In one scene Jigsaw literally says the words "Medical decisions should be made by Doctors and patients" before going on to equate HMO's with murderous thugs. And while the political polemic elements are perhaps a bit overcooked, they do imply a level of effort on the part of the filmmakers that goes beyond the call of duty. The social consciousness of Jason Voorhees' sixth outing began and ended with a happy face symbol made of blood.

Longtime series editor Kevin Greutert moves to the director's chair for this entry and his experience with the franchise shines through. He has clearly been planning for this opportunity for quite some time, and he makes the most of it, combining the indie grunge of the original with the flashy scene transitions of the sequels all while expanding the color palette, steadying the ADHD afflicted cinematography and toning down the ultra-violence.. This is almost certainly the best looking part six the horror genre has ever seen. Keeping pace with the direction is a slick, fast, and occasionally inventive screenplay by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, who handedly outdo their work on the previous two films.

Everything that was wrong with the five previous films is still wrong here. The sets still look like those of a movie made for about a million dollars, the actors are mostly second rate and the logic is tenuous within a real world scenario. The dialogue is occasionally as cringe inducing as the gory set pieces and the script makes excessive use of expository tape recordings in place of legitimate character development. And yet, I had a damn good time.

This film is easily the best since part two, and somehow actually made me want to see part seven. For those already invested in the series "Saw VI" is a Halloween treat. It's smarter than the previous three and it features some of the series most interesting traps. It even gives you a little something to talk about after the credits roll. Most will hate it sight unseen, but those who show up to watch, "Saw VI" is better than it has any right to be.

Let's play some more!

[MaxBorg89 · 7/10 · 25 January 2010]

There is no horror franchise quite like the Saw movies: whereas the likes of Halloween, Friday 13th and Hellraiser let a few years pass between installments (usually because the original writer/director has little, if any, involvement), James Wan's 2004 hit has spawned one follow-up every year, with a new one already behind the corner despite dips in quality and the distinct feeling that the writers have run out of ideas (case in point: the main attraction of the upcoming Saw VII is that it will be shot in 3D). Expectations were particularly low following the disappointing Saw V, but then came a surprise: as preposterous as it may sound, Saw VI is in fact the best of the sequels.

You know the drill by now: although he died three installments ago, John "Jigsaw" Kramer (Tobin Bell, still a creepy presence in the convenient flashbacks) isn't finished with certain people he wants to test, and so a new deadly game is set in motion. This time, the main victim works in health insurance, and it's his questionable method for choosing clients (basically, anyone with short life expectancy is ignored) that will be tested. In the meantime, the killer's apprentice, Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor), must keep covering his tracks, having successfully eliminated (and framed) Peter Strahm (Scott Patterson). Also, Jigsaw's widow Jill (Betsy Russell) must deal with the late psychopath's last wishes...

This time, the directorial job has been handed to the franchise's editor, Kevin Greutert, who uses his skills in the best way possible when it comes to creating a claustrophobic, tense atmosphere, something that was severely absent (along with a healthy dose of gore for genre fans) in the previous chapter. Another improved aspect is the writing: even if the announcement of a seventh entry sort of took away credibility from the tag-line "In the end, all the pieces will come together", Saw VI does act as a perfect closure for the series, tying up all the loose ends, granting every character (including the deceased Amanda) a moment in the spotlight and delivering two final twists that are, for once, genuinely surprising and refreshingly nasty.

But that's not the only reason this installment is worth seeing: while previous entries have been analyzed because of Jigsaw's use of torture as a way to understand people, this episode follows the blueprint of Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell by sticking it to people whose jobs aren't very popular in the US nowadays: the first two victims, seen in the pre-credits sequence, are loan-sharks (cue a neat Shakespeare reference), and the main target, as said earlier, works in health insurance. This isn't just torture porn (though there is plenty of it), it's also a genre spin on Michael Moore's work.

Smarter-than-usual writing, interesting social commentary, enough blood to keep gore-hounds happy: Saw VI is the ideal conclusion of the series, having the right elements to satisfy almost everyone. Of course, one question remains to be answered: aside from the 3D, will there be any real reason to watch Saw VII?

'Saw Vi'le

[thesar-2 · 2/10 · 21 December 2009]

I rarely listen to my own advice when I am in Vegas and generally I lose because of it. (Side note: I am in Vegas right now, on the 29th floor of the Palazzo and I didn't listen to my own wise gambling advice. I've been broke for 2 days now.)

Well, the same comes to movies. I keep stating, writing and promising to give up on bad films/series and especially stop supporting them (financially, that is,) so Hollywood finally gets back on track with better made films. (The more people see trash like 2012, for example, the more cr*p we'll be subjected to.)

That all being said, surprisingly enough, 'Saw VI' was better than the previous entry. Of course, that's not saying much. This latest installment was trash, of course, with horrid acting, a zillion flashbacks, and as a series trend, flashbacks within flashbacks and a million crossovers from previous chapters. When I finished watching this, knowing this is probably geared towards the young male audience, I laughed thinking they've been duped into watching a soap opera.

Yep, the Saw series is now a soap opera, albeit an extremely gory one – probably what Dark Shadows wanted to be, but in no way could attempt decades ago. I haven't even seen too many soaps in my time to know the transition scenes from one flashback or plot twist to the next is the exact techniques they use in the daytime dramas. They even have (spoiler) the blond be the back-stabbing b*tch in one of probably 37 subplots.

Though it's old-school now (by part VI,) they bring back Jigsaw again, through, yep you guessed it, more flashbacks and videos he made prior to death. (Side Note: I guess by using this method, they think they're clever on spinning the old Friday the 13th or Halloween psycho "rebirths" in their opening segments, but in reality, it's just stale by now.)

Does this guy have more recorded videos than Blockbuster? Does this guy have about $1 billion dollars and enough real estate to pull off about 16 dozen "traps"? I'm guessing they "explain" everything, but you begin to wonder by now if this guy owned half the city and no one ever wondered why he was always converting old, disgusting warehouses into death traps.

It's really irrelevant to describe the plot this time, but here goes: the "new" ideas they came up with: two companies, one financial, one insurance apparently p*ssed off Jigsaw when he was alive and from the grave, Jigsaw uses his newest accomplice (one of many in the series) to set the traps of the employees in motion. Only this time a lot of people need to decide on who lives and who dies. This is a change from the original traps where people only had their own fate to worry about.

While the previous two Saw movies toned down the gore, mercifully (what originally made the movies good in the beginning was them focusing on the story over gore,) again, they stepped it back up again, almost from minute one. Now, Saw III still is the leader in gore in the series, and the #1 goriest movie I have ever seen, this one breaks in the top 5. Sincerely, I've got to listen to myself and avoid the next two in the franchise, supposedly the final two.

Honestly, by this point, I just don't care how the series pans out. I've said this before: they should've ended with #3 with the death of Jigsaw. What possible conclusion could there be? Jigsaw never died, it was his slightly less evil twin? It was all a dream but when Jigsaw wakes up he smiles indicating the series is getting a reboot? Or best yet, no one truly died, a la April Fool's Day, and everyone turns to the audience, says "Thank you all for coming, and remember to appreciate life!" while holding hands and bowing?

I see the torture p*rn movies are finally dying out (while the reboots of the 1980/70s slashers increase) and hopefully, this series will as well.

The best Saw since the first Saw.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 13 September 2014]

I found Parts II, III and IV of the Saw series increasingly tedious, so much so that I left it six years before watching Part V. I was pleasantly surprised, then, to (eventually) find that the fifth instalment marked a turning point, the plot-line becoming a bit more interesting with Agent Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) taking on the mantle of Jigsaw, the gore being even more graphic, and the makers clearly taking matters with a welcome pinch of salt (the extreme nature of some of the gruesome traps bordering on self-parody). I was having fun at last.

The series continues to improve with Part VI, which develops the Hoffman character further, ladles on even more revolting splatter, and steadfastly refuses to get bogged down with trifling matters such as the cash, time, and skill required to build such amazing methods of torture. Part VI simply gets on with entertaining the fans, with a twisty-turny narrative and bucket-loads of the red stuff.

This time around, Jigsaw has assembled a group of despicable life-insurance business-people, and proceeds to teach them that choosing between life and death should not be an easy decision to make. As a result, bodies are blasted, crushed, hung, and, in the film's most revolting scene, melted from the inside with a highly corrosive acid. Meanwhile, the F.B.I. are closing in on Hoffman, although Kramer's wife Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell) also has a surprise in store for the deviant agent. Rather surprisingly, this satisfyingly sick chapter has left me looking forward to more Saw.

7.5/10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

If You Have Seen The Others You Have To See This

[sarahmillyhannah · 7/10 · 14 March 2010]

My title says it all really. Yeah the Saw films are all pretty much the same torture but telling a long winded story and this film delivers what you would expect from Saw only much more. It ties up all the loose ends and its so easy to follow, understandable, not ambiguous in anyway and gives a full explanation into the whole entire Saw series. If you have seen the rest you have to see this, to understand really why the others are there. I would go so far as to this this and the first Saw film are by far the best in the series, this one being because it all makes sense! Don't worry torture porn fans, its still gruesome and bloody with similar sort of 'games' but believe me when i say, these do make more sense this time. I gave it 7 out of 10

Another one...

[Anndrius · 4/10 · 24 November 2009]

6 - not the right number next to a movie title. There are exceptions of course, but the Saw series is not it. In the sixth part it shows on all fronts. While watching the movie I found myself comparing it to the episode of ordinary TV show. Flashbacks from previous episodes, cheap effects (by the way worse than some of the TV series), weak performance by actors and the plot line that no longer can surprise you. All that brings down the movie value to almost a bare minimum, saving that last star or two for the next Saw movie in 2010. Next year's Halloween again. Say...commerce? Speaking of which, the future is pretty grim for the Jigsaw according to the interest that has been shown to the Saw 6. The message is clear: cow is dry and the glue factory awaits. There's only Lionsgate left to understand this simple truth.

I can't be the only one...

[Meven_Stoffat · 7/10 · 24 October 2009]

While I'll admit that this was indeed better than Saw V, I still did not like this movie at all. Ever since Saw IV, the series has become a total "Let's-try-to-come-up-with-as-many-gory-deaths-as-possible" game. I'm betting that a lot of the positive reviewers are either:

A)Easily pleased B)People who have not seen the movie and are giving it good reviews because they love the Saw movies C)A.D.D. teenagers who have not seen very many movies

Here, we've got Kevin Greutert in the director's chair. Now direction wise, he does a much better job than David HACKl. (I capitalized the first four letters for a reason- that's what HACKl is when it comes to directing). That said, this movie still sucked. It suffers from the same issues as Saw V- Too many flashbacks, rushed pacing, too many ideas with not enough time to pay attention to one specific detail.

However, where this is an improvement over Saw V is in many things. Tobin always delivers as Jigsaw and here he gives his best performance as Jigsaw. Jill is great too. I liked the overall look of the movie, and the gore was realistic looking too- not the CG crap like in Saw IV and V.

That is unfortunately where it stops. None of the traps are creative at all (the janitor trap? WTF). The movie was 75% flashbacks, which bored the hell out of me. The acting was bad as usual- but then again, with the exception of Jigsaw,when has the acting ever been good in a Saw movie. And that ending.Total bullshit! The second it was over, I thought "What the hell was that????".

In short, will I see Saw VII? Yes, but only because I just wanna see how the series will end up. It's impossible for one to think this would be a Freddy/Jason series, but it has turned out that way.

"Saw VI" - So that's what a crushed body looks like...

[dee.reid · 7/10 · 26 January 2010]

In "Saw VI," there will be blood... lots of blood. Yes, Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is back in the latest "Saw" entry, despite us seeing his demise way back in "Saw III" (2006), but his legacy continues in this series that does not seem to have a logical end in sight. Really. The "Saw" franchise is one movie franchise that can literally just go on and on without the slightest hint of some movie exec getting the brilliant idea to pull the plug. Each new film fills in the gaps of the last film while continuing on with a new story; that is really the biggest plus about this film series, rather than falling into the trap of just repeating the same story over and over again.

For those unacquainted with Jigsaw's legacy, he is a serial killer who places his victims into highly sophisticated tricks & traps designed to teach them the meaning of life, because that is the reward for escaping intact, or alive but horribly mutilated: life. (Who said horror movies could no longer have a philosophical bent?) Technically, of course, Jigsaw is not a serial killer because he's never actually killed anyone; his victims usually end up killing themselves trying to escape his elaborate systems of tricks & traps. And of course if they fail their "test," then there will be one hell of a mess to clean up.

Since the original Jigsaw is long dead, taking his place was Agent Hoffman (Costas Mandylor), a vengeful F.B.I. who designed a trick & trap of his own to exact vengeance upon the man responsible for killing his sister, thus becoming Jigsaw's apprentice. Since taking care of the nosy colleague at the Bureau who was on to his trail at the end of the last film, Agent Hoffman is now the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. But a new team of F.B.I. agents are hot on his trail, and he must find a way to deal with them. At the same time, Agent Hoffman has his hands full with a new tricks & traps setup involving a greedy insurance executive who must navigate his way through a series of "tests" designed to, of course, teach him the meaning of life. And so let the games begin...

"Saw VI" is an impressive new entry. It was certainly better than the last film that came out in 2008; it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. "Saw VI" firmly establishes itself as an improvement in a series that seemed to be losing its steam, despite its apparent ability to never die. I guess it's to the credit of director Kevin Greutert and screenwriters Patrickt Melton & Marcus Dunstan to fill his movie with gore and more gore delight, and an ending that promises yet another sequel later on this year.

Did I mention that this movie was hella-gory (perhaps even more so in the unrated director's cut)? I have to say that this is probably the goriest "Saw" film to date, with severed limbs, disembowelment, and acid-injecting syringes aplenty. This is also the first movie in the series since "Saw" (2004) to really wear its morality on its sleeve: the greedy insurance executive comes to be representative of all greedy insurance executives (greedy insurance execs, look out!) when he is forced to come face-to-face with his moral repugnance in the deciding of who lives and who dies, and the lives of those his decisions will surely ruin, least of which is his own.

"Saw VI" proves that the human body is a remarkable piece of machinery, all right, able to withstand the greatest amount of destruction and still find a way to heal itself. Not after Jigsaw gets through with you...

7/10

Every health insurance company and it's agents needs to watch this film.

[SomeDude71 · 7/10 · 4 December 2009]

A lot of the replies here haven't even touched the storyline regarding people getting screwed over by the insurance industry in the states. I gave the movie a 7 for the simple fact it brings to light in a vivid way a subject that should be very close to home for many people who live in the states and have to deal with health insurance companies and their policies, loopholes, and shady insurance agents. Not all insurance agents are shady - I used to be one for almost 10 years and it was my job to help people select the lessor of the evils out there and I told them that up front. Anyway, any person involved in the industry should be made to watch this movie if not for the mere fact it hopefully could wake some of the crooked people up. Now, the movie from a story-telling point of view is average, but watchable. If you are just out to see another movie with people getting killed in a cruel and unusual way as opposed to looking for some meat in the storyline (pun intended?) then I'm sure many were disappointed. Maybe watch it again when it comes out on DVD as a rental and think about the millions of people every year getting messed over by an insurance company that is trying to take in only healthy people so they can turn a profit as opposed to helping people who need it.

Oh Thank God...

[ruddaga · 9/10 · 22 October 2009]

I remember that feeling i had when watching the first Saw movie. At first i walked in with the notion from the trailer that it was going to be some lame "torture" movie... I then remember walking out afterwards going "OMG...OMG....OMG..." When i first heard they were making a second one, i was extremely happy. Then i walked out of Saw 2 feeling empty.. like i had just watched a lame cash in sequel. For whatever reason i kept coming back.. Premiere day... I'd be there to watch the next one. Saw 3 i left feeling way better then the 2nd one.. The 4th one i remember walking out going "Wtf.. what a lame new jigsaw..". The 5th one i had the distinct thought "Omg.. that was just a total filler movie and nothing was gained from it..." Six i didn't exactly have high hopes for...

But Thank... GOD... Saw 6 is not only just a good sequel but its actual a great movie on its own. The moral dilemma William faces as part of "his" game throughout the movie... real powerful choices. The traps (as always..) gory as all hell.. but the emotion behind the decisions and ending of all the traps.. sends a shiver down my spine. And the ending twist AND scene... I wont spoil it but my GOD.. You thought agent Straham had a powerful will to live in that intro scene to 5, You ain't seen nothing yet.

Mainly though.. The story.. One thing this chronicle of the series does nicely as well, is tie up SO many questions that have been still hanging from way back to even Saw 3 (with a couple of new ones added just for the next ones..). I found that even though i thought 4 and 5 were average on their own... After seeing this one, it amplified and made them.. i don't know.. make sense.

Just like a jigsaw.. as each piece is layed down... the entire picture starts to make sense. Bring on Saw 7!!!!!

Saw 6 - Less Goor

[badboy_waqar_786 · 7/10 · 29 October 2009]

When i sat in the cinema to watch this movie. i was expecting it to be like all the other saw movies, full of goor and have a little story with a small twist at the end, but i was very wrong. the movie turned out the other way round it was small on goor but had more importance on the story line.

the movie starts with another brilliant trap, and also ends with you thinking whats going to happen next.

the movie leads down a certain path but eagle eyed viewer maybe able to figure out what is going to happen, if you haven't watch saw 5 i recommend you do the movie will make more sense that way, the important thing to remember the box John Cramer(Jigsaw) left for his wife. what happens in this movie is based on that box.

overall i liked the movie but as a person who enjoyed the goor would have appreciated some more of it. but i will still be there to watch saw 7 next year.

Leave the politics out...

[rob_runkle · 3/10 · 6 November 2010]

A great series goes in to the crapper because someone decided to inject their own politics and their own misinformed view of capitalism. Now that aggressive loan officers and obnoxious insurance agents are capital criminals, we all have to fear Jigsaw. Sad!!!!

Also, couldn't the casting agents have done a better job and found actors that didn't look exactly he same. It is hard to follow who is who sometimes. Even in the fight between the good guy FBI agent, and the bad guy cop, they look so much the same that you wonder, "now which guy is in the box?". And, the time line juggling has always been out of control. Certainly a movie that you can't watch without paying full attention.

Puts the train back on the rails.

[acronin-2 · 8/10 · 22 October 2009]

I am going to say it up front. The Saw series is a guilty pleasure of mine. That being said the last couple have not really engaged me all that much. After this one though, consider me back in the fold. Longtime series editor turned first time director Kevin Greutert has recharged the series and injected something these films have lacked since the beginning: humor.

Saw VI starts with a bang. You know right off the bat that this isn't the same dead serious almost somber type of Saw film you're used to. I'm going to give Greutert and company the benefit of the doubt here and assume that this is by design. You know when Jigsaw is putting people in traps for smoking too much that your tongue should be firmly planted in cheek. This film is also much more open and colorful than previous films. After the claustrophobic Saw V that seemed to take place in only three different rooms this is a welcome change of pace. Also the traps here are much more inventive than V and maybe even IV (nothing will best III in my mind for sheer over the top-ness). The amount of twists and surprises is also plentiful and really do help bring the game full circle. This is definitely not the transition film that the last one was and it really left me to wonder where exactly they can go from here. The twists and turns of the plot are not something I want to give away as its part of the fun but suffice to say if you've stuck with the series up until now you won't feel gipped as you walk out of the theater. The film follows Hoffman as he tries to stay one step ahead of the FBI while conducting a game involving John Kramer's insurance broker William who is put through a series of tests involving his co-workers. The film moves at a breakneck pace cutting back and forth between the two main plot threads while also throwing in the now famous Saw flashbacks to fill in the gaps of all the past movies. I was never bored and special mention has to be given to Greutert for really keeping this thing from getting bogged down in the procedural aspects that really plagued the last few films. This is balls to the wall entertainment and it delivers while also winking and nodding along the way. Saw also gets extremely topical here for the first time and the main thrust and theme of this film will hit home to anyone who even has a passing knowledge of current affairs in this country.

The only negatives I can really point out in the film is some of the suspect acting but again this might be done on purpose through the director's eyes to inject some humor without resorting to having Jigsaw or Hoffman crack jokes Freddy Krueger style while they dispense moral justice. We haven't gotten there yet, maybe Saw X. The other problem I had was that some of the back story really pushed the suspension of disbelief but I guess I shouldn't nit-pick because that has been a problem as far back as Saw II and is needed to stretch out this far anyway.

All in all this is easily the best Saw since the 2nd one and I am glad to see the series get back on track after the CSI elements of the last two films. This is Saw how I like it: down and dirty and over the top. Bring on Saw VII!

Better than what you'd expect

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 6/10 · 26 October 2009]

It's that time again, no, not for chocolate cake. No, not for another George W. joke. That's right, Saw 6! Wow, who would think that back in 2003, these movies would just keep going and going and going? Not just like every couple of years, but every year we have a Saw sequel. I'm not going to lie, it's not a strong series, but it always keeps me coming back for more. Yeah, I'm sick of torture porn, but I'm always curious where they're going to take the story next. We've had a slope in the Saw films, ever since 3, they've lost it. Saw 5 picked up a little, but was nothing special. I'm glad to say that Saw 6 was a major pick up. While I wish they would improve the quality of these films, you'd think with all the money they have they would, it's still a little too dingy for my tastes. But the story really took a good look at today's major problem with health care and the uninsured folks of America finally got what they've been craving, to see an insurance agent go through the jigsaw puzzle.

Dan Erickson heads up the FBI's investigation into another jigsaw death, with fingerprints of Peter Strahm being found at the scene. He shares this information with Lieutenant Mark Hoffman and also reveals that Lindsey Perez, who was thought to have been killed by the exploding Billy doll, is alive and still on the case. Hoffman secretly meets with Jill Tuck, who hands him five envelopes from the box given to her by John Kramer's lawyer, and he takes control of a Jigsaw game the two have been planning. This game focuses on William Easton, an executive at a health insurance company. He and his subordinates decide whom to cover based strictly on probabilities of health or illness, and he turned down one of John's claims for this very reason. Flashbacks during the course of these tests reveal that William and John first met when Jill opened her drug clinic, and that John introduced Amanda Young to Jill as proof that his method of rehabilitation could really work. In addition, Hoffman and Amanda knew about each other's work as a Jigsaw apprentice, and John had already made advance plans for Jill to avoid suspicion after his death. Erickson and Perez continue their investigation and obtain the videotape from the death of Seth Baxter, causing Hoffman to grow increasingly nervous that his secret is about to be revealed.

Costas Mandylor is the only thing that was really bad about the film, I wish this guy would get killed off because his acting is like making me be put through a jigsaw puzzle. He's just not right for the role nor does he have the acting chops for it. But I always do my best to give an honest review and Saw 6 isn't a bad movie. It's one of the better in the series. I do think that Jigsaw is one of the most clever serial killers that have been created for film. He's the new Hannibal Lecter, with more gore, but he always has us questioning our morals on those who really deserve life and take it for granted or those who maybe should just learn a good lesson in what they have done to others in life. I think Saw 6 is worth a matinée, it's good for the Halloween season. Plus it's just tradition if you wanna see the sequels, have fun and just go with it, this isn't Oscar worthy, it's just good for gore.

6/10

Jigsaw's Legacy

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 18 September 2011]

The body of Agent Strahm is completely smashed and destroyed and Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) frames him. Strahm is accused of being Jigsaw's apprentice and the FBI chases him. Dan Erickson (Mark Rolston) calls Hoffman and he leans that Agent Lindsey Perez (Athena Karkanis) has not died. When Dan finds a tape with the voice of the killer, he invites Hoffman and Perez to go with him to the laboratory to see the progress with the identification of the real voice.

John's widow Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell) receives a box from his lawyer with six envelops with instructions and she gives the first five to Hoffman. The unethical CEO of the Umbrella Health, William Easton (Peter Outerbridge), and his team are abducted and William is forced to play a game and choose who will live or die to save his family and him.

"Saw VI" is another violent film of torture with the legacy of Jigsaw. However, it is better developed than the previous story, and has a surprising conclusion. As I have mentioned before, I really do not like this franchise, but at least this time the plot works. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Jogos Mortais VI" ("Mortal Games VI")

Wonderful!

[JHar888 · 7/10 · 24 October 2009]

After a rather disappointing fifth installment, I was hoping Saw VI would put the series back together again. A promising trailer put me back in the "Saw" mood; my expectations were high. Now that I've seen the big V-I, I can safely say my expectations have been succeeded.

The plot outline seems very similar to that of Saw V, but that's probably because the makers of these films want to keep everything underground until the film is released. The story actually follows a character named William in a large game with tons of decision-making.

We also learn more on the Hoffman/Amanda relationship, as well as a ton of background info on Jill Tuck. Many things you'd never guess are shown, including info on Timothy Young and Jigsaw's opinion on Dr. Gordon. This is the best and the scariest Saw since the first. Recommended.

Jigsaw -Tobin Bell committing new cruel and twisted murders from beyond

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 16 October 2010]

Again Jigsaw/Tobin Bell executing murders full of scares , chills and suspense . John Kramer (Tobin Bell) still lives from beyond the tomb , thanks to tape dug out of his autopsied stomach and by means of various flashbacks with the puppet-master Jigsaw. Conscious, throughout , Kramer entertains himself by monitoring the tests against his victims, he's devised. Thus the machinations begin again and the story tries to spark life into a disembowelled body. The picture starts with an unknown man and a woman under the torture of a machine and tied into a room of pain . Later on , it happens inside a store the vice president a medical insurance company named "Umbrella Health¨(Peter Outerbridge) attempts to figure out cryptic video tracks and getaway fiendishly body-trapped places . The challenging is how to get out of Kramer's imprisonment of new unfortunates in a single looked room . Meantime, Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell), Jigsaw's wife from the former movies , is shown opening the Box that left her husband containing six envelopes . One time dead Jigsaw, now Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandaylor) is the last person who can follow the legacy of the strange series killer . The twisted imagination Jigsaw and his pupil lavish upon their engines of pain with thrills and chills. Although the perverse master/protégé is explored to some effect , the flashback edition structure is more complex and confusing than the previous films , though is packed with some flaws and gaps.

This exciting denouement details astonishing murders at the hands of the dead deviser who is planning again gruesome and complex killing set-pieces. This sixth sequel from original by James Wan, contains grisly terror, tension, suspense and lots of blood and gore . The film takes accent as suspense as well as terror with creepy use of images-shock and slick edition. Provides an imaginative and well-knit screenplay plenty of twists and surprises , though develops the mythology of Jigsaw in an ambitious but ultimately predictable manner . Like David Fincher's ¨Seven¨ and Dario Argento's ¨Tenebre, Suspiria, Deep red¨, it packs inventively twisted murders , this fuses an intricate chiller argument with horrible sensibility and relentless tension. This frightening movie was rated by Secretary of Spanish Culture as ¨X¨ and the production company to be obligated cut scenes in the only one case of censorship in several years. Sinister and mysterious atmosphere , has been made by cameraman David Armstrong and eerie musical score adequate for mystery and horror by Charlie Clousier, both of them usual of franchise. This sequel employs the same brutal puzzle logic as its predecessors toying the viewer in much the same manner that cruel murderer , well performed by the soft-voiced , pale Tobin Bell . He's a secondary actor working from the 80s in TV series (Walker Texas Rager, Stargate SG1, Alias, 24) and occasionally for cinema (Goodfellas, The firm, Ruby, Black mask 2), achieving success with Jigsaw character . The motion picture is professionally directed by Kevin Greutert . It's followed by Saw 7 ,3D , in production .

yet they give us donuts with holes in them

[alienworlds · 27 October 2009]

What to say about this film. These films always got by on the skin of their teeth because there was a detective story in the mix, but I don't think that is enough to make this franchise a worthy thing. It has the after effect of watching some video posted on You Tube that shows someone imploding for no reason whatsoever on a fashion runway. The word gross just doesn't cover it. I think folk who dig the thesis of a person being forced to dig a key out of their eye sockets or face being crushed by a 9000 pound weight over the space of the afternoon need to see a psychiatrist. Probably the most twisted material ever to hit the big screen, it is nothing more than a gore fest with little in the way of a plausible story keeping the whole thing together. The morality the killer character uses to justify his killings is not the most original thing I have ever heard-I prefer the reasoning of 'he wore black shirts' or 'she had a red car', but that's just me. Maybe what is repugnant is the seeking to make a logical reason for an abhorant and disgusting level of criminality. I always thought that time in jail was a more powerful crime deterent than execution. Maybe the film peddles the idea that executions are better than jail time. Maybe watching grass grow is better than this crap.